"Prime Minister Rajapakse of Sri Lanka Freedom Party
(SLFP) and Ellawela Methantha Thera of Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU)
exchanged agreement for the forthcoming Presidential election at
Dalada Maligawa, Kandy Tuesday morning at 11. 30am.
The parties agreed in principle to terminate
talks on the Post Tsunami Operational Management Structure
(P-TOMS) and to find a solution to the ethnic crisis on the
basis of a unitary state.
Nimal Sripala de silva, Mangala Samaraweera, Susil
Prem jayantha also took part in this event. Later the agreement was
handed over to the Budhist prelates of the foremost Asgiriya chapter
Uththrakitha Thera and the Malwatte chapter Subamangala Thera in
Kandy by Prime minister Rajapakse.
The agreement was earlier signed by the parties a week earlier, 6th
September, at the Prime Minister's house. These are the conditions
laid by JHU to Mahinda Rajapakse. The twelve conditions included in
the agreement are:
-
Sovereignty of the country shall be
protected when seeking a solution to the conflict in the
North and East.
-
No part of the Sri Lankan land shall be considered as the
homeland
of any racial group while the provincial, district and
divisional secretariat boundaries would be redemarcated to
suit the new economic,social and political needs.
-
No racial group shall be granted self
governance in any part of Sri Lankan territory.
-
The
Ceasefire Agreement shall be so revised as to ensure the
prevention of terrorist activities since there is no purpose
in continuing a unilateral Ceasefire Agreement.
-
The talks based on a final solution to reach
within a predetermined time frame shall be held with
LTTE.
-
The
P-Toms shall be abolished and an efficient humanitarian
rehabilitation plan in accordance with the Sri Lankan
constitution shall be introduced instead.
-
The present paliamentary election system
shall be amended to reflect the correct public choice and to
make the president answerable to parliament and judiciary.
-
Government's involvement in sectors with
strategic importance including finance, energy and transport
and improving the efficiency under a new management shall be
ensured.
-
The quality of free education and free
health services shall be empowered through a efficient
management.
-
Country's natural and oceanic resources and
assets under government ownership and management shall be
protected.
-
Environment friendly strategies to improve
the plantation and agriculture sectors and fixed price for
local agro products.
-
Local entrepreneurs shall be promoted
through providing financial and tecnical assistance and
improving worker's condition.
Mahinda Rajapakse signed an agreement with the
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) last week at his official residence
in Colombo. This Rajapakse-JVP agreement has created internal
turmoil within the SLFP, with incumbent President Chandrika
Kumaratunge sharply criticising the agreement as violating SLFP
policies. JHU is credited for using the Supreme Court to rule on the
Presidential polls to be held in 1995. |